Mid to late March base layer and sleep clothes

I'm still not clear on Base layers and sleep clothes. I'm looking at a mid to late March AT thru-hike NOBO start date. Normally on any typical spring and fall backpack trip I would have the following hiking clothes: short sleeve poly top, boxer briefs, convertible pants, Darn Tough crews, trail runners, dirty girl gators and brimmed hat. I have an Arc'teryx long sleeve zip neck polartec fleece pullover (not sure if it is considered light weight or medium weight) that I wear while hiking when the short sleeve shirt is too cold by itself. I have a Ghost whisperer down jacket for camp and Outdoor Research helium II rain shell and helium rain pants for rainy weather and wind shell. I have a buff that I wear with my hat when cold and a beanie that I wear at night when cold. I have glove liners, possum down gloves and rain shell mitts. I typically don't pack sleep clothes other than a pair of down socks. I do carry an extra pair of boxer briefs and darn tough socks. I know that there may be days and nights colder than what I typically backpack in, but I'm not clear on what I will need. I have a Smartwool Merino 150 long sleeve top and Patagonia capilene 3 long bottoms that I am planning on taking. Is it likely that I will want to hike or sleep in them. Will I want to bring two pair, one for hiking and one for sleeping? If I bring two long sleeve Smartwool 150 tops, will I still need the short sleeve poly t-shirt. Will I need something extra for laundry day?

IMHO your system looks great. I would use the 150 LS Merino and Patagonia Cap 3 Bottoms for Sleep. I use 2’s because 3’s are too warm; but it depends on your Sleeping Bag/Quilt. Keep the sleepware dry at all cost if not able to bail for the night. I would not hike in them for that reason. I would not double the Long sleeve and keep the Short Sleeve. I have Smarwool leggings to hike in, but that is in place of and to back up my Convertable pants and probably one peice of clothing too many. Your Helium Jacket will work for Laundry but you will need something to cover the bottom. I use Rain Pants for this as well as cold weather and thus I don’t wear my Cap Bottoms to Hike in. I am leaving for the AT Mid March. Here is a Vlog of my Layering System I am taking if interested:
https://youtu.be/pgw0GILjvDw

Your system looks pretty good.

I’d say you’re good to go and to not worry about it - you’ll end up changing stuff out anyway along the way.

I carried 2 shorts, 2 capilene lightweight shirts, two pair exofficio boxers and rotated hiking/camp.

Helium 2, patty UL down hoody, patty thermal weight cap (used to be cap4) as a mid layer and a Houdini windbreak (luxury item I suppose but I absolutely loved it and after the first few weeks wore that instead of the hoody)

Darn toughs for life

I probably didn’t need 2 shorts buecause I only slept in a T and undies but sometimes they were just so wet and gross I wanted out of them so it was more of a morale thing.

For laundry, after I sent the rain pants home, I would usually put on my camp shorts and the windbreaker and wash everything else. Sometimes this meant stripping down between 2 cars. Classy.
Since I couldn’t wash the camp shorts they just became my dirty hiking shorts for the next rotation.
Or if I was staying in town I’d wash them in the sink later.

You’ll figure all that out.

I started March 12th last year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shrewd

Your system looks pretty good.

I’d say you’re good to go and to not worry about it - you’ll end up changing stuff out anyway along the way.

I carried 2 shorts, 2 capilene lightweight shirts, two pair exofficio boxers and rotated hiking/camp.

Helium 2, patty UL down hoody, patty thermal weight cap (used to be cap4) as a mid layer and a Houdini windbreak (luxury item I suppose but I absolutely loved it and after the first few weeks wore that instead of the hoody)

Darn toughs for life

I probably didn’t need 2 shorts buecause I only slept in a T and undies but sometimes they were just so wet and gross I wanted out of them so it was more of a morale thing.

For laundry, after I sent the rain pants home, I would usually put on my camp shorts and the windbreaker and wash everything else. Sometimes this meant stripping down between 2 cars. Classy.
Since I couldn’t wash the camp shorts they just became my dirty hiking shorts for the next rotation.
Or if I was staying in town I’d wash them in the sink later.

You’ll figure all that out.

I started March 12th last year


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Forgot to mention, I carried a buff but only used it as a head band, a beanie that was only used for sleep, and my midlayer and jacket had hoods.
I carried lightweight gloves and rain mitts through the Smokies (possum down gloves and Borah rain mitts). The thermal hoody zips up to the chin so I never worried about a balaclava but aside from one or two days it wasn’t cold enough anyway. Once you’re recalling moving (and climbing) you’ll generate a ton of heat.

What’s your sleep setup?

I am also struggling to figure out what I want to sleep in/ what base layers to bring. Right now I am planning on sleeping in a pair of smartwool 150 leggings and a Patagonia Cap thermal weight crew. I am bringing a base REI quarter zip as well as a Patagonia R1 hoody with a Patagonia nano puff hoody for layering during the day. I set out from Georgia on March 20th.

I would suggest that perhaps that R1 will be too warm


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I haven't thru'd, but have spent a week at a time out there in mid March a few times.
When it was below freezing (happens a lot in mid March), I wore my base layer (black tights from Target) under my convertible pants to hike in, and a long sleeve poly/wool t-shirt as a base layer.
I slept in my base layer because I don't like the way the nylon sleeping bag feels against my skin, and it would be dry by bed time.
I hike in darn tough, but have a thick and fluffy pair of smart wool only for sleeping.
Also have a buff and a hat that I wear as needed.

MtDoraDave, so you were OK sleeping in the same base layers that you hiked in?

Yep.
Didn't bother me at all to sleep in the same base layer I hiked in.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shrewd

Forgot to mention, I carried a buff but only used it as a head band, a beanie that was only used for sleep, and my midlayer and jacket had hoods.
I carried lightweight gloves and rain mitts through the Smokies (possum down gloves and Borah rain mitts). The thermal hoody zips up to the chin so I never worried about a balaclava but aside from one or two days it wasn’t cold enough anyway. Once you’re recalling moving (and climbing) you’ll generate a ton of heat.

What’s your sleep setup?

---

For a cold weather sleep system, I have a Mountain Hardwear Phantom 15 which has a comfort level down to 24 degrees Fahrenheit, Sea to Summit silk stretch mummy liner, and a Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite pad. In warm weather I usually sleep just in the liner, and have a Sea to Summit 50 degree down bag that fully unzips and can be used as a blanket when needed. I might switch to that system with the pad when it warms up and then maybe switch back again towards the end.

I think you’re good to go, bud


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Your base top and bottoms look good for adding warmth in camp.

I'd suggest starting with a long-sleeve poly top instead of the short-sleeve one you've got. It'll be a better fit for the temperature, and will keep the sun off your arms before the leaves fill in. Cold air plus sunburn is an annoying combination.

Does your rain jacket fit over the puffy? Your biggest weather risk is freezing rain, where you'll want both layers.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by DownEaster

Your base top and bottoms look good for adding warmth in camp.

I'd suggest starting with a long-sleeve poly top instead of the short-sleeve one you've got. It'll be a better fit for the temperature, and will keep the sun off your arms before the leaves fill in. Cold air plus sunburn is an annoying combination.

Does your rain jacket fit over the puffy? Your biggest weather risk is freezing rain, where you'll want both layers.

---

Nicely said.